The Catholic Church and Social Justice

I often share the story that the Catholic Church I was active in I called a progressive church. It was not a term meant to signify a political party. It was meant to express that St. James dedication to including the entire community, not just Catholics was well known.

We had priests that were activist. What I mean is that they spoke up about the inequities experienced by certain ethnic/cultural groups. I saw this in churches where its members diversified. Many of these churches were in or near my neighborhood so I exposed to their living the Jesus Way.

In our church, St. James Catholic Church on the lower eastside was very active in reaching out to minorities in our community. There would be meetings where discussions were had on how to help the immigrant school children with homework and learning to speak, read and write English. There were also discussions on how to help the homeless, feed the hungry, support teenagers whose parents worked and those who had limited guidance at home. The young girl’s group, Children of Mary, also did volunteer work. My sister and I volunteered at Rose’s Home, a hospice for nuns. Yes, in our parish we were encouraged to reach out even in our early teens.

So being available for anyone in need is part of my nature. My parents were both generous and welcomed everyone. (Yes, my parents had their biases, but it never stopped them helping anyone who needed it or asked for it.)

I imagine that these pastors and priests made themselves aware of the Catholic Church Social Doctrine (see the Vatican Document here).  There are several books that explain the Church’s teaching in simple ways. The Compendium was written for use by priests, pastors, etc. to help guide their parishioners.

I often wonder if most Christians, especially Catholics, are aware the true meaning of being a follower of Jesus. There is so much more to the Catholic Church’s teaching on social justice. It is not just about abortion, feeding the hungry and tithing the church. It has become fully involved in all aspects of an individual’s life and a community.

Here are a few things to consider:

Individuals:

• Do they have enough food (daily)?

• Are they able to get to their medical appointments, pick up their medications, etc.

• Do they need a ride to a church service/bible study class?

• Do you reach out – either by phone or personal visit – to someone who lives alone?

• Have you spoken up for someone who was unjustly targeted or persecuted? 

Community:

• Have you, if physically able, joined groups that promote unity with those in your faith community as well as those of a different faith in your community?

• Have you taken proactive steps to participate within the community to help the marginalized people without judging them? This can be done by writing, emailing, or calling your local, national, and federal government officials.

• Have you joined in educational opportunities to help you learn about America? The Constitution and how laws have evolved in the past 250 years to ensure everyone has equal rights according to the Constitution? How our laws align the morals and values taught by our faith leaders.

I can go on and on, but I am going to stop here for now. More to come in future blogs where more information on Catholic Church teachings on issues, resources, and scripture verses to support our responsibility as followers of Jesus Christ.

In the next blog I will discuss the issues that the Catholic Church, many other churches, are concerned with. You might be surprised by the number of issues - all effecting life, both human, animals, environment.